Lid fastener for milk cans



L. E. DRAKE LID-FASTENER FOR MILK CANS Filed Feb. 28 1923 E 17H2/fe,

INVENTOR l WITNESSES ATTORNEY tening Patented Dec. l1, 1923.

vUNI-'113D sTArEs PATENT forme.'

rEMUEL E. BRAKE, or Monnsro, CALIFORNIA.`

nin rAsTENE'n ronirrnx cans. i

l.Application :filed FebruaryZS, 1923. Serial No. 621,832.

To all whom'zt may concern.' l

Be it known that I, LEMUEL E. DRAKE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at` Modesto, inthe county of `Stanislaus` and State of California,` have invented a new and useful Improvement vin Lid yFasteners I for Milk Cans, of which the following is a specification. y o

rThis invention relates to means for fas the lids of milk cans or like containers. l

The object is f to Vprovide simple means which may be easily applied to lids of milk tirelywithin the hollow orI concave lid, there being no parts 'projecting :far enough to be accidentally struck to. release theY lidl from `the neck of the can, the diametrically opposite locking members of theffastener being readily grasped byzthe fingers of. one hand'i to effect such release.y

A' full and complete understanding `ofthe inventionmaybe obtained from a consideration of the ffollowing detailed description,A

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification, it being understood that while the draw;

ing shows a practical form of the inven* tion, the latter is not confined to strict con- 1 formity withthe showing thereof, but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications `mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of an ordinary milk can showing the improved fastener locking the lid or cover in position;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof; Figure 3 is a detached perspective view of the improved fastener.

Referring to the drawing there is shown in Figure 1 the upper portion of a milk can having the usual rounded shoulder 1 proneck vided with an upstanding,cylindricalneck 2, which is joined to an outwardly flaring, funnel-shaped mouth 3 terminating in a flat, horizontal, annular .ring f1, having its marginal edge strengthened by a peripheral cad 5. While this is the ordinary manner of'forming milk cans, it will, of course, be

"understood that any other shape may be employed.` n v The lid or cover comprises a cylindrical 6 having an external diameter to snugly lit within the neck 2 of the can, the latter neck being somewhat greater in height than the said neck 6, which is joined to the `marginal edge of a closure plate 7. The

lidis also provided with an outwardly Haring wall 8 arranged at an angle tol coincide with the funnel-shaped mouth 3 of the can, and having its lower edge joined to the peripheral edge of the closure plate7 and adapted to vlie against the upper face o'f the said mouth, the upper edge of the wall 8 being 'extended outwardly to providean annular ring 9, 'adapted to rest upon the 'ringe-andprovided around its marginal redge with a strengthening bead 10, which preferably overhangs and bears against the first-named' bead5 and aids in maintaining fa tight joint between the can and icover. An ordinary handle 11' is arranged Idiametricallyacross the lid infspaced rela#` the lid or tion .to fthe closure p plate 7, the said handle, which' is located below; the' level. ofthe 'annular kring `9, having leg and foot porr being secured tothe plate` tions, the latte 7.by rivets' 12 i p As thus far describedftheparts'areof the usual construction `and no claim is made thereto, as it will be seen that the improved fastener as hereinafter described may be applied to other shapes of cans or containers and lids therefor equally as well'.

Thevfunnel shaped mouth 3 ofthe can is provided with diametrically opposite openings 13 about midway of its length,`and the flaring wall 8 of the lid is alsoprovided with opposite openings 14F which are in a horizontal plane with and adapted to be brought into register with the openings 13, these openings being provided in most of the ordinary cans asnow used, and intended to receive some suitable sealing means to prevent removal of the lid except by authorized persons. The openings 13 and 14 are taken advantage of in the present instance to receive the locking ends of the improved fast- I the spring of the metal.

`of the portions 17 are bent inwardly on a ener, so that it will beseen that no altera tion has been necessary in the formation of ythe can'andlid to apply the fastener and tb use the same thereon.

Transversely of the handle 11 is arranged a bar or rod 15 preferably flat, though the same may be round and Ladapted to lie flat against the upper face of the plate 7, said rod being pivoted at its center by a rivet 16 traversing the closure plate exactly at the center thereof.A l The outer end portions of the rod 15 are inelinedfupwardly and out- ,wa-rdly, as at 17, and lie normally flat against .the inner or upper face of the Wall 8 of the lid, the said portions 17 having a normal tendency to bear against the same through The upper ends i slight curve as at 18, and thence returned upon themselves, as at 19, to form handles or projections within the lid to be grasped b-y the thumb and finger of the hand to effect the removal of the lid, the outer teri minals 2O of the member projecting through the alined openings 13 and 14 when the lid is fastened in place. i To apply the lid or cover to the can, i

l is only necessary to force the handles 19 i I, towards each other, as the lid is introduced ing thehold on said handles 19, the terminals spring outwardly through the openings,

i when itisimpossible for the lid to be accidentally dislodged from its seat, and the aforesaid sealing means may also be applied to thel alined openings, either one or both pairs.` When it is desired to remove the lid,

,it will be seen, that it` is only necessary to grasp ,the handles 19 to bring the terminals inwardly and `through the openings, or nearlyso, when Vit isfipreferable to give the lid al twisting or turning movement to force the rounded ends of the terminals to disengage themselves from the openings of the can.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple, strong and durable fastener has been provided for can lids and that the same may be easily applied to ordinary lids already on the market and that by a simple movement of one hand the said lid may be applied in position or removed from the can.

vWhat is claimed is 1. The combination with a milk can having a Haring mouth provided with opposite openings therethrough, and a lid adapted to fit therein and having openings registering with the first-named openings, of a fastener comprising a bar centrally pivoted on the upper surface of the lid, said bar having upwardly and outwardly extending, compressible end portions having upstanding projections forming handles to force the ends towards each other, the terminals of the bar extending downwardly and outwardly from the handles and adapted to spring into the aforesaid registering open ings to lock the lid in the mouth of the can.

2. The combination with a milk can having a flaring mouth provided with diametrically arranged openings, and a lid having a flaring wall to fit upon the flaring mouth of the can, said flaring wall being provided with openings to register with the openings in the can mouth, of a fastener comprising a bar secured on the outer face of the lid below the flaring wall and having its ends inclined upwardly and outwardly to lie flat against the outer face of said flaring wall` the ends of the bar being bent upwardly and then returned to form handles which are arranged within the flaring wall of the lid, the `terminals of the bar being adapted to project through the alined openings of the lid and can to hold the lid to the can.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

LEMUEL E. DRAKE. 

